Touch of a Feather
by Fire of the Angel
Summary: It's not supposed to be like this. Love isn't supposed to hurt." Marik paid no attention to those words, figuring that they were meant for Bakura. Oh how wrong he was... MarikRyou
1. One

Summary: "It's not supposed to be like this. Love isn't supposed to hurt." Marik paid no attention to those words, figuring that they were meant for Bakura. Oh how wrong he was... Marik*Ryou  
  
I know I said that I wouldn't be able to get anything up for a while, but we have a four day weekend.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to YGO nor do I claim to.  
  
Bakura = Ryou  
  
Yami Bakura = Bakura  
  
This story contains Yaoi, don't like then don't read!  
  
-Blah- Emphasized words  
  
"Blah" Speaking  
  
'Blah' Thoughts  
  
*~*~~*~* Scene Change  
  
**** Flashback or Dream  
  
//Bakura to Ryou//  
  
/Ryou to Bakura/  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
Touch of a Feather  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
"Damnit, Bakura!" A punch to the wall followed the cry, and the plaster cracked. A slamming door followed this, and silence reigned afterwards.  
  
Ryou sighed heavily and removed his fist from the wall. Small trickles of blood dripped from his knuckles, but he paid it no mind. He idly looked at his blood stained hand, and watched, in a daze, as the red drops fell to the floor. He continued to watch until the pain faintly registered in his mind. He made his way up to the bathroom, and began to bandage his hand.  
  
About twenty minutes later, his doorbell rang. Ryou groaned; he hated having visitors right after he fought with Bakura, he always ended up blowing up on the person at the door. Last time, Yami got a faceful of insults along with a door in the face. He forgave Ryou, but Ryou insisted that his behavior was uncalled for. Ryou made his way to the door, gently cradling his injured hand that he was still trying to bandage.  
  
Ryou opened the door to a small surprise. Marik stood on his doorway, concern flashing in his eyes. Concern was not an emotion commonly seen upon the yami's face.  
  
"Bakura arrived on our doorstep about 15 minutes ago. Said something about you two fighting again. I was sent to see if you were all right." Marik followed Ryou inside and looked pointedly at the halfway wrapped hand that was bleeding still.  
  
Ryou looked down at his hand as well and sighed. "I'm fine. Why didn't you call, instead?"  
  
Marik looked around for Ryou's phone and spotted it against the wall, smashed to pieces. "The line was dead. Bakura said you threw it at his head."  
  
Ryou flushed. "I suppose I did."  
  
Marik looked back at Ryou and grinned. "Did you hit him with it?"  
  
Ryou's flush deepened. "No, but I did manage to hit him with the remote."  
  
Marik smirked. "I don't think it hurt him very much."  
  
Ryou shook his head. "Not a bit. Now, if you would excuse me, I have to finish wrapping this." He lifted his hand. He turned around to go back into the bathroom, but was stopped when Marik gently took his wrist.  
  
"I'll do it. It doesn't look like your having much luck." Marik smirked and pointed to the messy half wrap.  
  
Ryou sighed, and followed Marik to the couch where the yami finished the wrap that he had started over 20 minutes ago. When he was finished, Ryou examined the white bandages with a small smirk. "Where on earth did you learn to do that?"  
  
Marik cast his eyes downward for a moment. "It's called, I spent a lot of time in the Shadow Realm, and the many creatures there aren't friendly. Malik attended to me when I escaped, and I paid attention." He lifted his eyes and smirked at Ryou. "Little twerp is good for something, after all."  
  
Ryou smiled softly and stood, following Marik to the door. Ryou shut the door behind Marik, and went over to gather the remaining pieces of the phone. As Ryou dropped to his knees, tears began to well up behind his eye lids and started to fall. As he picked up the third large piece that used to be a phone with a small sob, a knock resounded off of his front door. Ryou tried to wipe the tears from his eyes as he stood, but his tries were in vain.  
  
Ryou stared at the ground as he opened the door, and looked away as Marik stepped in. "Did you see where I set my keys?"  
  
Ryou tried to hide his face as he shook his head, but the light glinted off of the tears and brought them to Marik's attention quickly. Marik lifted Ryou's chin with a gentle touch of his finger, something that Ryou would've thought impossible. Lavender eyes searched Ryou's, and as Ryou stared back, he felt his tears double. Those lavender eyes held many of the same things that Bakura's did, but they held one that his didn't: care. Bakura had always looked after Ryou because of their link; if one died the other followed. He never cared...  
  
Before Marik or Ryou knew what had happened, Ryou had attached himself to Marik's torso, and was sobbing into his chest. Marik raised an eyebrow and awkwardly placed his arms around Ryou's shoulders. Malik had never cried before him, and he had no idea about how one should comfort another. A few moments later, Ryou slowly pulled back, tears still flooding his face, but the sobs had died down.  
  
Ryou started babbling his apologies to Marik. "Oh...I'm so sorry...I...It's...I'm....I was upset...mmph..."  
  
Marik had silenced Ryou the only way he knew how; he kissed Ryou gently. Ryou slowly responded, and as the tears dried, he wrapped his arms around Marik's neck. When they parted, Marik brought Ryou closer to his body.  
  
Marik ran his fingers through Ryou's hair, and kissed his forehead. "Bakura doesn't understand that you are a fragile person. He doesn't treasure fragility as I do."  
  
Ryou groaned and buried his head deeper into Marik's shirt. "Bakura...I want to forget it all...Forget that he was ever here...forget that I've been hurt."  
  
Marik swept his lips over Ryou's ear and whispered, "I'll help you forget," before he picked Ryou up and carried him upstairs.  
  
Ryou completely forgot Bakura, forgot that he left the door open, and forgot that he was giving his innocence away to a man that was considered ice cold. But Marik wasn't cold, Marik was his light and warmth on that depressing evening...  
  
*~*~~*~*  
  
Ryou felt pleasantly warm and heavy as he woke up the next morning. He was wrapped up in a bundle of blankets, sheets and Marik's limbs. Memories of the night before returned with a dull throb of his injured hand, and Ryou groaned as he buried his face into Marik's bare chest. Bakura was going to kill him when he found out about their little 'fling'; Bakura had told him many times not to get 'involved' with either of the Ishtars. He, Bakura, had gotten involved with Marik, and the relationship ended with a bitter war over dominance. Bakura still conversed with Malik, but advised Ryou to stay away from both, as he said that they were dangerous.  
  
Ryou looked up into the sleeping face of Marik and sighed. Marik had been gentle with him, and he had cared about him. How could something so beautifully sensitive be dangerous? Ryou rested his cheek onto Marik's chest and stared at the wall, slowly coming to a realization. He glanced back up at Marik and stared. He had fallen in love with the dangerous being beneath him, and he knew that it was forbidden. Bakura would get angry over it; Malik would be extremely upset, and he didn't know how Yugi and the others would take it. Yami would surely try to persuade him that it was just a one night thing, and Ryou was certain that it wasn't.  
  
Ryou pushed himself up and off of Marik before slowly making his way over to his dresser. He retrieved some clothing before making the short walk into the bathroom. Shutting the door, Ryou didn't even bother to think about locking it. He never had, and why would he start that habit now? The only ones in the house were he and Marik...Ryou obviously wasn't aware of his other half approaching their house at that very moment...  
  
*~*~~*~*  
  
Bakura growled angrily as he walked to his home. Ryou hadn't called Malik the night before, and Marik hadn't returned home. Figuring that Marik had went out to party after he checked on Ryou, he definitely wasn't prepared for the half covered, naked form of Marik in his hikari's bed. He glared at the sleeping Marik before turning his head to glare at Ryou's bathroom door, just outside the bedroom door.  
  
Bakura stepped over to the bathroom door and violently jerked the door open; he knew that Ryou never locked it. He stormed over to the shut curtain and jerked that open as well.  
  
*~*~~*~*  
  
Ryou hadn't been ready for the violent and sudden opening of his bathroom door and curtain, and therefore yelped as Bakura pushed his shoulders against the wall. Bakura was fuming and shook Ryou's shoulders as he asked through gritted teeth,  
  
"What the hell happened between you two last night!?"  
  
Ryou looked up at him through wet bangs and glared. "What do you think happened?"  
  
Bakura shook Ryou's shoulders once more. "Don't play those games with me Ryou! I'm not the snake, and you definitely aren't the snake charmer!"  
  
Ryou tried to push against Bakura, but the now cold water was distracting him, and Bakura had a painful grip on his shoulders. "Damnit Bakura! Your hurting me! Let go!"  
  
Bakura shook his soaked hair out of his face and pushed harder. "Not until you tell me what the fuck you did with him!"  
  
He was about to push Ryou harder, but he was grabbed from behind and pulled harshly away from Ryou. Marik stood above Bakura, who now lie on the floor, glaring.  
  
"What he and I did, Bakura, is non of your concern. The boy is of legal age to take care of himself, and I highly doubt he needs your opinion." Marik's lavender eyes flashed as he adjusted the covers of Ryou's bed that were snugly against his waist.  
  
Ryou slid down the wall, water still pouring down, and wrapped his hands onto his shoulders. Bruises were already forming, adding to the red marks that were bites along his chest. Bakura stood from his place on the floor and glared down at Ryou, who had brought his knees up to his chest in a protective manner.  
  
"Whore." Bakura spat the word out, and before he knew it, he was on the floor, yet again, sporting a bloody nose and broken lip.  
  
Marik stood with his fist still raised, and was nearly shaking with rage. "You, Bakura, have absolutely no grounds to call him that. I have no authority in this household, otherwise, you'd be thrown out already. Get out of my sight before I really hurt you."  
  
Bakura pushed himself up again once more, but didn't leave immediately. He glared once more before stomping down the hall and, a few seconds later, slammed the door.  
  
Marik shut the water off and bent down to touch Ryou's face. Ryou lifted his head and looked at Marik through tear stained eyes.  
  
"It's not supposed to be like this. Love shouldn't hurt this bad..." Ryou's quiet words faded into the still silence that had placed itself upon them. Marik paid no attention to Ryou's words, figuring that they were meant for Bakura.  
  
Oh how wrong he was...  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
This was supposed to be a one shot, but I felt as though I could make it a two parter. Part two should be up within the next week, depending on how much I have to do for school.  
  
Please review and don't flame. 


	2. Two

Summary: "It's not supposed to be like this. Love isn't supposed to hurt." Marik paid no attention to those words, figuring that they were meant for Bakura. Oh how wrong he was... Marik*Ryou  
  
Sorry it's taken so long, but I got bored with this fic for a while. Here's part two!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to YGO nor do I claim to.  
  
Bakura = Ryou  
  
Yami Bakura = Bakura  
  
Malik = Malik  
  
Yami Malik = Marik  
  
This story contains Yaoi, don't like then don't read!  
  
-Blah- Emphasized words  
  
"Blah" Speaking  
  
'Blah' Thoughts  
  
*~*~~*~* Scene Change  
  
**** Flashback or Dream  
  
//Bakura to Ryou//  
  
/Ryou to Bakura/  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
Touch of a Feather  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~  
  
Ryou sighed, for the millionth time that night, once again. He had been replaying the events of the night before in his mind over and over again, wondering where things should go from there. The sky, which was dotted with stars above him, offered no answers. The silence that had been lying over the park for hours now wasn't giving him any ideas either.  
  
Looking at his watch, 11:14 PM, Ryou finally rose from the park bench and set off into the dark of Domino Park, headed for the Ishtar home.  
  
*~*~~*~*  
  
The house was quiet, but lights could still be seen from the porch upon which Ryou stood. Swallowing in an attempt to calm his jumping stomach, Ryou walked over to the door and knocked softly. It took a few minutes, but he was soon looking at Isis' face. She smiled at him, and turned, saying something about getting Malik for him. Ryou placed a hand on to her arm to stop her, and softly told her that it was Marik he wished to speak to. Isis raised an eyebrow, but ventured into the house nevertheless, calling for Marik.  
  
The yami came down the stairs about 2 minutes after Isis called, and caught sight of Ryou. Ryou gave a small smile, and motioned with his head towards the sidewalk in front of the house. Marik grabbed a jacket, slipped on some shoes and followed Ryou down the steps.  
  
When they had left sight of the Ishtar's house, Ryou turned to Marik and gave him a calculating look. "I need to know what last night was about."  
  
Marik avoided Ryou's eyes. "It seems as though I've caused a lot of problems with what I did."  
  
Ryou shook his head. "Bakura will get over it. He's only protective of me, and hates to see me toyed with."  
  
Marik glanced up and looked into Ryou's deep eyes. "I wasn't playing with you."  
  
Ryou turned away. "Then what were you doing? Was I just another one nightstand? Another release for your anger because Bakura doesn't love you? Another way to -"  
  
Marik cut Ryou off. "I don't love Bakura."  
  
Ryou stuttered for a moment before timidly replying. "What is it then? Why did you willingly accept me into your arms, and show me the love that I will never know? Why did you give me those moments of happiness that I don't deserve?"  
  
Marik sighed and reached over to Ryou. He placed a hand on Ryou's face, and brushed a stray strand of hair behind his ear. "I did it because I love you. I've always loved you. I dated Bakura because I thought it would make it easier to forget you. I thought that if I dated your other half, I could get a spot in your life as a friend.  
  
"And don't say that you don't deserve love. You deserve every last bit that this world can give you because of everything you've been put through. In Battle City, I hurt you, and I controlled you and Bakura because I felt the need to get rid of the love I held for you from the beginning. I blamed the feelings on Malik, who had a crush on you at the time; I tried to rid myself of the weakness that was you, but I found that I wanted that weakness. Last night was just another push for me to get near you. When I heard and saw what Bakura was putting you through, I decided that I would take care of you. I decided that I would give you the love that Bakura has obviously never given you."  
  
Ryou gave a humorless laugh and nuzzled Marik's hand. "You're right about Bakura. He's never cared for me. He only protects me because I hold the Ring, and therefore he owns me; He's possessive of his possessions."  
  
Marik smirked and pushed his hand back into Ryou's silky silver hair. He gently tilted Ryou's head up, and stared deeply into Ryou's chocolate orbs. Ryou stared back, and searched Marik's own lavender pools for the love that had been announced to him only moment's before. Ryou's breath hitched as Marik leaned forward, and his eyes gently fluttered closed when Marik's lips met his own. The kiss was sweet and was as gentle as their first their night before but, unlike last night, this kiss led to nothing more than a sigh from Ryou, and a nervous swallow from Marik.  
  
Marik removed himself from Ryou and forced himself to place his mind back on their conversation, and not on the things he wished to do at that moment. Ryou had turned away his head, and was now staring at a squirrel that had braved the cold weather to find some more food. Ryou blinked himself back into awareness, and stared at Marik, who was now intent on a point past Ryou's face.  
  
"What now? Where do we go from here?" Ryou's question was soft, and somewhat sad.  
  
Marik sighed and put his hands into the pocket of his coat. "I don't know, but I want to be with you either way."  
  
Ryou started to wring his hands together and said, "I...I need time to think about what's happened. Is that ok?"  
  
Marik looked at Ryou and managed the best smile he could before giving the hikari a small hug. "It's alright. And listen to me closely; if Bakura threatens you in anyway and you feel as though he'll carry it out, don't hesitate to call either Malik or me. We'll bring you here to live with us if that bastard tries anything."  
  
Ryou gave a grateful smile before leaning up to brush his lips against Marik's softly. "I'll be fine."  
  
Marik smirked. "Of course you will be; you're much stronger than he'll ever be."  
  
Ryou pulled away with a soft smile and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He glanced back at Marik as he walked down the street, and disagreed into the night. Marik looked after him, even after his form was no longer visible, and looked up at the sky.  
  
"What did I do to you to deserve him? For everything I've done, I deserve to be struck down dead at any moment..." Even though he was dead in a sense, he was being given a second chance at life that he felt he didn't deserve. But he didn't know that his life was given back to him so he could protect that of his white angel...  
  
*~*~~*~*  
  
Ryou nervously glanced at the clock on the wall for the twentieth time in 5 minutes. It was well past three in the morning, and Ryou was awaiting the arrival of his yami. Scared as he was of facing him, Ryou had to prove to Bakura that he would be fine with Marik.  
  
Ryou glanced at the door and stood when he heard footsteps behind it. Mumbled curses met his ears as Bakura fumbled with the keys, and Ryou involuntarily stepped back behind the couch. Bakura opened the door, and glared when he caught sight of Ryou.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here? I thought you'd be with your new boyfriend." Bakura sneered as he placed the keys on the table by the door.  
  
Ryou swallowed nervously. "About that."  
  
Bakura glared. "What about it? Have you become his whore? Or has he told you that this is real, and that he loves you?"  
  
Ryou clutched the back of the chair. "I am not his whore, and he really does care."  
  
Bakura smirked. "Let me tell you something, kiddo. He said those exact same things to me. Right down to the line about being given the love I was never given before."  
  
Ryou's throat constricted. What if everything that Marik had said to him was a lie? What would he do? Ryou knew the answer to that one. He'd die. If Marik was lying, than he would just curl up and die.  
  
"Hit something there, didn't I?" Bakura sounded happy about something. "You gotta know something about him, Ryou. He was created from all the evil that had ever lied within Malik. He's nothing but pure hell on the inside, and there's nothing you can ever do about that. You can't change him, hikari. If I wasn't able to do it, than you have a snowball's chance in hell of doing it because, that's just what you are. A pure white snowball stepping into the hell known as Marik."  
  
Ryou covered his ears. "Damn it! Don't you tell me those things. I love him, and I'm damn sure he feels the same. The way he said it just."  
  
Bakura stepped over to Ryou and grabbed his arm. "Just what? Made you feel so bubbly and cared for? Made you feel as though the world couldn't touch you?"  
  
Ryou tried to pull his arm away as Bakura stepped closer. "Bakura, let go."  
  
Bakura shook his head. "Not until I make you see that Marik is fake. He's nothing, and you deserve so much more."  
  
Ryou stepped back, but Bakura followed, and soon he was against the wall. "You're crazy! Let me go! Now!" Ryou's screams were futile.  
  
Bakura removed his arm but, instead of pulling back, he snaked it around Ryou's waist. Bakura buried his nose into Ryou's hair, and began to murmur into his hikari's ear. "You're mine, Ryou. You always have been. From day one, I've laid claim on you and Marik will -not- have you."  
  
Ryou tried to push Bakura off, but the yami was much stronger. "You're crazy!"  
  
"Only about you." Bakura began to kiss and lick at Ryou's throat, and the hikari began to struggle more.  
  
Ryou felt like crying. His chest was tightening, and he could barely breathe. What was -wrong- with Bakura? This wasn't the protective yami he knew. This was a monster trying to hurt him.  
  
Just as Ryou felt himself giving up, something inside of him snapped as Bakura jumped back and held his head. The Millennium Ring was around Ryou's neck now, and it was glowing, just as Bakura now was. In a flash of bright light, Bakura was sealed inside of the Ring tightly, and Ryou was leaning against the wall, touching his lip, which Bakura had bitten.  
  
Ryou looked around, trying to make sense of what had just happened, and his eyes landed on the phone in the kitchen. Not thinking about it, he went over to it and dialed the first number that came to mind.  
  
A few rings and Ryou got an answer. "Ishtar residence. Isis speaking. How may I help you?"  
  
Ryou looked at the phone for a moment before replying. "Isis? This is Ryou. Is Marik around?"  
  
Isis' voice was alert immediately. "Ryou? What's wrong? What happened?"  
  
Ryou, still dazed, answered. "I'm fine. Can I talk to Marik?"  
  
Ryou was going into shock, the only possible response he could figure out after being attacked by his yami and sealing said yami in the Ring. Isis' voice became a dull buzz in his ear, and he mumbled a parting greeting before turning the phone off and going over to the couch. He sat there and let his entire body go numb.  
  
*~*~~*~*  
  
"I'm fine. Can I talk to Marik?" Ryou's words were sluggish, and it sounded as though he wasn't really paying attention to their conversation. Isis looked at Malik, who had followed her down the stairs when the phone rang, worriedly.  
  
Isis asked Ryou what had happened, but the boy only mumbled out a, "I gotta go now, Isis. See ya later." before hanging up the phone.  
  
Isis set the receiver down on the hook before looking up at Malik. "Go get Marik. Something's wrong with Ryou."  
  
Malik did as told and, a few minutes later, they were following the crazed yami down the streets.  
  
*~*~~*~*  
  
Marik opened the door to Ryou's home cautiously, and frowned when he saw the hikari sitting on the couch, staring at the wall in front of him. Anger boiled in his veins, however, when he stepped in front of Ryou.  
  
Ryou's lip was busted, and there were bruises along his arms and shoulders, which were exposed by a tank top. In Ryou's hands sat the Millennium Ring, which held an odd glow. Ryou looked up at Marik with glazed eyes and mumbled out, "He's in the Ring. Dunno how I did it, but he in the Ring. Why are you here, Marik? Did something happen?"  
  
Marik kneeled down in front of Ryou and removed the Ring from his hands. He gently ran his finger along Ryou's busted lip and asked softly, "I should be asking you that. Did Bakura do something to you?"  
  
Ryou moved his focus from Marik to Malik and Isis, who were standing in the doorway watching the exchange quietly. "Hello, Malik and Isis. How's the museum?"  
  
Isis raised an eyebrow but answered the question nevertheless. "It's fine."  
  
Ryou looked back to Marik and frowned when he saw that the yami was worried and upset. "I'm fine, Marik. No need to worry. Bakura's in the Ring again." He raised his hand and brushed a strand of hair behind Marik's ear before scowling to himself. "No more Bakura to hurt me or you. He's locked up. Yami no Yugi would be proud."  
  
Marik looked at Ryou with an odd look before telling Malik to get a wet washrag and some ice. Malik returned after a minute or two, and handed the items to his yami. Marik wiped the blood coming from Ryou's lip off and held the piece of ice there when he was finished.  
  
"How did your lip get busted?" Marik held back the growl, as to not scare the dazed Ryou.  
  
Ryou licked his lip before answering; "Bakura bit me. He bit me after I told him that I loved you. Said that all you told me was a lie. I showed him, didn't I? He's locked in that Ring while I'm out here with you."  
  
Marik nodded to Isis, who had just motioned to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, squirt," was Malik's goodbye as he followed his sister back to their house.  
  
When Ryou pulled back from the ice, saying that his lip was numb, he looked at Marik, the glaze beginning to leave his eyes. "Thank you."  
  
Marik seated himself on the coffee table before reaching out to touch Ryou's face. "You're welcome."  
  
Ryou stared at Marik before crawling into the yami's lap and nuzzling his shirt. "I love you."  
  
Marik smiled down at Ryou. "Ra knows I love you, too."  
  
The kiss shared was like the touch of a feather; soft and gentle and full of love.  
  
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ End Story! Hope you enjoyed!  
  
Please review and don't flame. 


End file.
